July 23, 2012
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Explaining Music Milestones to a Kid
We had Sirius Satellite Radio in the car for the road trip.
That was nice. They do not play the same songs over and over.
I am an old school country fan and last week
the original queen of country music, Kitty Wells died.
We were listening to Willie's Roadhouse and they played a lot of Kitty Wells.
My niece learned to know her voice and asked what was so special about her,
she said "She wasn't the best singer".
I understood what she meant
Kitty did not have a Patsy Cline whiskey rich voice
but Kitty Wells had an incredible style and lots of chutzpah.
Kitty Wells was a trailblazer.There have been other female country music trailblazers
like Mother Maybelle Carter (Mother-in-law to Johnny Cash)
who was one of the first recorded female women guitar players
She had her own style of playing called 'scratch' style of guitar playing,
where she used her thumb to play melody on the bass
and middle strings, and her index finger to fill out the rhythm.
There were others before her, see THIS POSTKitty Wells was the first female country singer to hit the charts
Her first hit and signature song,
"It Wasn't God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels,"
gave the woman’s point of view about the wild side of life
and it precipitated a flurry of scandal upon its release in 1953.It was written by J.D. Milleras as a direct rebuke to a line in
Hank Thompson's song "Wild Side of Life"
The chorus to Thompson’s record was:“I didn’t know God made honky-tonk angels
“I might have known you’d never make a wife —Kitty sang the heartfelt reply ...
As I sit here tonight the jukebox playin'
The tune about the wild side of life
As I listen to the words you are sayin'
It brings memories when I was a trusting wife
It wasn't God who made Honky Tonk angels
As you said in the words of your song
Too many times married men think they're still single
That has caused many a good girl to go wrong
It's a shame that all the blame is on us women
It's not true that only you men feel the same
From the start most every heart that's ever broken
Was because there always was a man to blame
It wasn't God who made Honky Tonk angels
As you said in the words of your song
Too many times married men think they're still single
That has caused many a good girl to go wrongNBC's powerful network of Southern and rural stations and country programs
—including the self-important arbiter of country-music legitimacy
the Grand Ole Opry—almost instantly banned it.Kitty went on to pave the way for female country singers
in a male dominated industry
but it was more than just a musical milestone, it was a cultural one.
She stood behind her music even when it stepped on a few toes.
She was quite a lady.Trying to explain that to my niece was difficult
but I also explained to her that those early recordings were not polished.
I think she got the picture.
She asked a good question and
I was pleased that she was listening and thinking.My favorite Kitty Wells song is Making Believe
Comments (20)
I learned a few things along with your niece. My hubby has Sirius radio and loves it!
Kitty was a trailblazer.
That was interesting Beth. I love that song too (Making Believe).
Bravo! Thank you for sharing
An interesting post -- your niece is a bright girl!
she was a good singer she will be mist
i live 90min away from the birtpace of Country music it star in Bristol TN-VA 1927-28
Your lovely neice asked a great question! The intangible is sometimes impossible to explain. Kitty just had that someting special...
Kitty will be missed. I see Wanda Jackson is still touring and singing. I gave my pal the Charlie Louvin autobiography a couple of weeks ago. The Louvin Brothers also performed "Making Believe". They were an early influence for the Everly Brothers.
I remember Kitty Wells and she had such a full, beautiful volume to her voice.
I like both of those songs. I'm glad you took the time to explain all this to your niece. : )
btw, I've been playing Loving Arms over and over since it arrived.
I used to really like It's Wasn't God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels until I was in my late teens and heard Wild Side of Life. I realised Kitty's song was a response song to Hank's one day, and went back to listen to his. I realised her song, while it had a valid point on its own, in response to Hank's song it didn't so much. Hank sings that he loved his wife and she left him, because that's who she is, not because he cheated. For some reason it's bothered me ever since. Maybe I'm just being to negative, I like her song on its own, I think it just bothers me as a response to his.
I like Kitty Wells, though, she was great. I'm glad you could share her with your niece.
I have no love for country music at... all. It is the strangest thing. Sirius radio is the best.
I am sure you briefed her on the very special live concert where Metallica (http://www.metallica.com/) played with live symphony. This indeed was a music milestone!
Sail on... sail on!!!
how'd that red green show ski go...oh I'll remember it later. - the point is. here's two books to further your point. mel blanc's That's Not All Folks and philip Kimball's Liar's Moon. mel blanc covers simple differences in time's attitudes like when it was a literal embarassment for a wife to work..housewives exist today but where is this attitude once a social norm? and within the late pioneer times of the american west even people of differing heritages made the journey- but if this book is read like I read it, you may wonder sometimes if not each word whether its even true. the purpose of it is to show something trueful- you may not always be loved universally but you still can eek out your joy of life.. if you find these books fail you- you may also muse upon me finding papercuts filllled with lemon juice. but otherwise, happy reading
http://www.amazon.com/Liars-Moon-Philip-Kimball/dp/0452281830
http://www.amazon.com/Thats-Not-All-Folks-Blanc/dp/0446390895/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1343130785&sr=1-1&keywords=thats+not+all+folks
I didn't know this. Thanks for posting it. Those were powerful lyrics. The fact that it was banned probably made it more famous than it would have been otherwise.
I love the 80s& 90s sirius country station
I missed you from the moment you all pulled out of the driveway! I loved meeting your family.
Hugs to L and L, and tell boy L, my ribcage is finally healing from his farewell hug.
good songs Beth
Not a fan of traditional country music. It has changed over the years and incorporated some of pop and R&B and the styles in clothes have changed with the younger generation.
Working in a record factory you listened to a different type of music each day so I like a little of everything but I think my least favorite now is the vulgar Hip Hop stuff. Nothing is left to the imagination anymore.